1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an inserter for an applicator type catamenial tampon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, the known inserter for a catamenial tampon of the above-mentioned type is constituted, for example, by an outer cylinder 10 having a segmented ejecting hole 10a at the fore end thereof, and an inner cylinder 11 accommodating a catamenial tampon 12 and slidably fitted in the outer cylinder 10. The outer cylinder 10 is provided with a projection 13 on the inner surface of its side wall in engagement with a guide groove 14 formed axially in the side wall of the inner cylinder 11, thereby to push the tampon 12 into the outer cylinder 10. In use, the inner cylinder 11 is pulled out fully until the projection 13 is abutted against the fore end of the guide groove 14 as shown particularly in FIG. 2 to push the tampon 12 into the outer cylinder 10, and then the inner cylinder 11 is contracted again into the outer cylinder 10 to insert the tampon 12 into a vagina pushing open the segmented ejecting hole 10a.
If the guide groove 14 of the above-described construction is disposed downwardly during the insertion, a problem is encountered in that a withdrawal string 15 of the tampon 12 tends to droop down into the guide groove 14 as shown in FIG. 2 and be caught between the inner and outer cylinders 11 and 10 when the inner cylinder 11 is telescopically pushed into the outer cylinder 10. In this state, however, the tampon 12 is pulled out together with the inserter when the latter is removed from the vagina.
In addition, in case the strength of the projection 13 is insufficient, there arises another problem that it becomes difficult to transpose the tampon securely from the inner cylinder to the outer cylinder.